USA: Stocks Resume Slide.

US stocks fell on a choppy Wednesday as markets assessed the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook ahead of major tech earnings. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 fell 0.7%, while the Dow lost 900 points. Microsoft and Meta were muted ahead of their earnings reports after the bell, the latest signal for AI infrastructure spending. Concerns that AI capital expenditure is being overdone recently pressured Magnificent 7 stocks and triggered a selloff for chip producers that trimmed their surge late last quarter. Micron, Applied Materials, and Sandisk sank between 4% and 8% amid the pessimistic results by SK Hynix. Meanwhile, the Fed held rates unchanged in the least certain meeting in the last 15 years, featuring three dissents for a hike. The Dow was pressured by a flare-up in oil prices following fresh strikes between Iran and the US, adding to pro-inflationary risks. Visa rebounded and gained 1% after posting growth in revenue last quarter.